well just to refresh your memory she was thinking of retiring just this summer, and as result was three month short of training, injured and in pain, the fact that she was still competing out there was more than anyone could ask for! unlike someone, Mao has enough respect for the sport, to not only show up at competitions when she feels like attending!
and if you read her recent interview you would know that she is planning to put the 3A back

Mao's post GPF airport interview (when she arrived back in Japan) which was aired in multiple news channels as well as quoted in multiple articles has her saying 'I still need to improve the height and quality of the jumps that are already in the program, but I want to begin practicing my triple-axel and triple-triple combinations, though of course this depends on how my hip condition goes'.

Mao is reported to not have practiced the triple-axel or triple-triple combos so far this season, and put that time to working on other things. Despite this, she did try jumping the triple-axel at official practice at COC (I think she landed one or two that seemed pretty rotated), so I would imagine that she continued to try out these jumps in practice sometimes. But I think she and Coach Sato had this agreement that her focus would be on working on other things besides the 3-axel and 3-3.

By the way, was it mentioned in English boards that Mao was in a great deal of discomfort during GPF due to hip pains, and she wanted to withdraw after her SP. Mao said in interviews that both of the Satos (Nobuo and Kumiko) gave her the strength to go out there and perform despite the pain. Coach Nobuo, amongst other things, basically told her she could do it despite the pain since he knew of some skaters who had performed with broken bones! Anyway, Mao sounded grateful for their encouragement. Another thing that was mentioned in Japanese media was that some journalist asked Mao to comment on how it felt like to skate and win at GPF because it coincided with the anniversary of her Mother's death, and Mao replied something like 'it is no different from other skating events, excuse me...' and then proceeded to cry profusely. She obviously didn't want to talk about it, didn't want anyone to know how she felt, but she couldn't stop crying for a while. Of course, no one was so insensitive as to ask another question on that topic. Grand Prix Final, what with memories of her mother and hip pains, was a mentally tough competition for Mao, but turned out to be a good one because she managed to hold herself together and win in very good style.

A few days after coming back to Japan, Mao posted a message on her official site saying that her 'hips are fine!' so this indicates that she's gonna start practicing those 3-axels and 3-3 toward competition, but who knows if she'll actually put them in the program. I mean, it's not like she needs them to win this season. But, I really think that everything Team Mao is doing is toward peaking at Olympics, and I think they are aware that she will likely need a 3-3 at Olympics (though I kind of think that even that is debatable). But even if she doesn't need it, I think that she would like to put in at least a 3-3, because I think it's just in the competitive nature of athletes to attempt the best program feasible.

I think Japan Nationals or 4CC (if Mao is going this year) would be a good time to try out a 3-3, 3-axel or both to see how it goes. I presume that they would not be so adventurous at Worlds.

I think people are being unduly harsh on Mao. She's a two-time world champ and Olympic silver medallist who decided to revamp all her jumps in the aim of even greater heights. She might not be getting the results now but she's still a phenomenal talent. It might not work out in the end but at least she'll have left no stone unturned.

Except she's not doing 3A this season, when this is actually the time she should be landing them provided that she has actually improved her jumps since Vancouver. (This is the 3rd season she's working on her jumps)

Also "something easier" like 3Lz and 3S isn't something she's managing all that well this season either. UR (<) actually means the jump wasn't ratified and therefore it doesn't count.

Both times she landed 3S this season it was not UR. 3Lutz was not UR at GPF either.

Having two 3Axels already in the program, I can understand that she would be too tired to attempt a 2Axel-3Toe combination afterward and be able to get credit for it with the super-stingy downgrade system that was in place for the 2010 Olympics. However, she still could have done a 3Toe-2Axel sequence and then put a 3Lutz in the program. The jump layout would have been:

3Axel-2Toe
3Axel
3Flip-2Loop-2Loop
-----
3Lutz
3Flip
3Toe-2Axel
3Loop

This would have scored her a couple extra points (and that's factoring in some -GOE she would have gotten for edge violation on the Lutz), without even really taking extra effort. Ultimately, though, she still wouldn't have beaten what Yu-Na Kim did with the judging system at the time. The Triple Axels were undervalued and Yu-Na was able to put three Double Axels into the program that racked up a ridiculous amount of points, because of the scale of values at the time.

Thanks, that would be another reasonable layout for her. But Mao's team decided to drop both 3S and 3Lutz altogether from her programs and I assume because she was not confident with those jumps at the moment. With Tarasova not being there with Mao all the time, they couldn't really work on things, therefore decided to rely only on those jumps she could still do well. That is why I assume that Mao was not able to execute consistently 3S or 3L or 2A-3T during the Vancouver year. She still has problems with them, but a least she is working on bringing the consistency back, which is a much better way to spend time and effort than focusing mostly on a triple axel IMHO.

well the jump counts according to the protocol, and it says 3Lz in the protocol, and when she gets credit for it meaning it does count!

you are only deceiving youself, just because you don't want it to count, doesn't make the jump dissappear from the performance, the protocol, or the scores! so live with it!

For the record, i never said i didnt want it to count. But
It doesnt matter how many times Mao flutzes with full rotation, it's still not 3Lz. Can you honestly say that it is? No. Thats the point im trying to make.

For the record, i never said i didnt want it to count. But
It doesnt matter how many times Mao flutzes with full rotation, it's still not 3Lz. Can you honestly say that it is? No. Thats the point im trying to make.

And how many ladies can land fully rotate clean triple lutz without changing the edge? Not so many, and those who can usually have problems with the flip. And those who cannot do it just omit the lutz in their program. Mao can't do it with correct edge and yet she goes for it which is really admirable considering the amount of girls giving up on their flutz. Flutz or not, she managed to fully rotated and just go for it. How many girls nowadays go for 7-triples program with all kinds of triples? I'm not even talking about the ladies who are able do it, just how many of them attempt this layout? Mao does even though she has got problems with the lutz and that is admirable indeed. She is working on her issues and I appreciate it a lot. Other girls just give up on a problematic jump and do the ones they feel comfortable with.

And how many ladies can land fully rotate clean triple lutz without changing the edge? Not so many, and those who can usually have problems with the flip. And those who cannot do it just omit the lutz in their program. Mao can't do it with correct edge and yet she goes for it which is really admirable considering the amount of girls giving up on their flutz. Flutz or not, she managed to fully rotated and just go for it. How many girls nowadays go for 7-triples program with all kinds of triples? I'm not even talking about the ladies who are able do it, just how many of them attempt this layout? Mao does even though she has got problems with the lutz and that is admirable indeed. She is working on her issues and I appreciate it a lot. Other girls just give up on a problematic jump and do the ones they feel comfortable with.

I do admire her on trying and that's good because it makes other skaters to be competitive. I was just replying to mary01 that Mao cannot land a clean 3lz.